


Patchwork Soul

by Hyrulehearts1123



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angel Sam Winchester, Asexual Raphael (Supernatural), Canon-Typical Violence, Dean Winchester Makes Bad Decisions, Don't copy to another site, Gen Pairings, I love that that's an official tag, Implied Michael/Lucifer - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Torture, Pansexual Gabriel, Sam is a tiny tiny kiddo and i love him, Young Sam Winchester, genderless Raphael, platonic archangel bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 07:57:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 19,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20542739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyrulehearts1123/pseuds/Hyrulehearts1123
Summary: Within The Cage, there was something that didn’t belong. A Fledgling, born of the Soul of Sam Winchester, and the Grace of Michael and Lucifer. When Raphael embarked to rescue the Fledgling, they had no idea just how important he would be, or the healing and restoration that would come about through the Fledgling’s existence.





	Patchwork Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Well, this was fun. And no one stopped me, so have it all at once! This wouldn't have been possible without my amazing beta and co-conspirator sageclover61, so thanks!
> 
> Also a huge thanks to my artist this year, My_Untold_Lies, who did an amazing job with her art, which can be found here! https://archiveofourown.org/works/20535683

Raphael was in a panic.

Normally, they were the calmest of the archangels. It was necessary for them to be such, as their Father given job was to be the Healer, and a healer couldn’t afford to be struggling with their emotions when they needed to focus.

But there was nothing that could keep their panic at bay today, for there was something held within the Cage that was _ not _ supposed to be there at all.

A melding of Soul and Grace, culminating in something similar to that of the Nephilim of old, yet different. For the only one that was in the Cage that would be in any way similar to a Soul was the Vessel of Lucifer, who had jumped into the Cage, taking both Michael and Lucifer down with him.

But somehow, the Grace of the two Archangels had managed to meld with the boy’s Soul, and it was calling out, crying for help, and it was tugging at every single one of Raphael’s instincts, including all those which they had thought had faded away and died when the Father had been forced to end the lives of the Nephilim of old.

They wanted to run, to find any way that they would be able to rescue the child trapped within the Cage, but there was no time for them to do so. For they were at war with the Seraph Castiel, and needed to present a strong front for their troops, even as they were slowly losing control of both their instincts, and their ability to lead.

Raphael was not Michael, able to lead vast armies to way for the slightest of causes, and bring victory wherever he went. Raphael was never meant to carry such a burden, and yet it was the one they were forced to, in order to maintain some semblance of normalcy in the face of frightening and sudden change that was all too much for many of the host.

But Castiel was closing in quickly, his small insurrection gaining traction faster than any had thought possible, and his numbers were growing more and more with every day. 

And the numbers on Raphael’s side were dropping just as quickly, and not because they were swapping sides.

Raphael had tried to find their Father once more, as they had tried to do in the beginning, but with how erratic Castiel was behaving, and the staggering number of wounded constantly flooding the infirmary at all times, there had been no time for him to take the time to spend upon the Earth to be able to contact their Father and discuss anything in regards to the situation.

But with the constant crying out from the infantile Grace Soul from the Cage, there was no way that they would be able to stay where they were any longer.

And so, they had left the safety of Heaven, leaving their home for the first time in so many years of their own accord, and flew to where the elder Winchester was residing. It was a risk, possibly one beyond what would be smart, but there was a reason for their actions.

They wanted to try and see how the elder Vessel was living after everything that had happened when his brother had launched himself into the Cage, and what they found had been shocking.

Sam Winchester was free, even as they could feel the cry of the Soul Grace from the depths of Hell.

Not even a moment had revealed the reason why. The younger Winchester’s body had been lifted from the Cage, and his Soul had been left behind.

But even worse, was how the elder Winchester seemed not to notice. Did he already know of the atrocity that had been wrought upon his brother, and was merely ignoring it? Or did he not know, the knowledge having been hidden from him by the one who had committed such a crime?

They watched the brothers (one with and one without their Souls), hidden in the background of the brothers’ every action, unseen and unknown, even as they worked to help a family with a spirit that was plaguing them.

But the moment that the brothers had returned to their motel room, falling to sleep, Raphael moved once more, taking a moment to place a blessing over them both to protect them from any harm that an Angel could bring.

Their work done, and their fears confirmed, and in other ways worsened, they returned once more to Heaven. Moving to their office, they sat behind their desk, face buried in their hands. There was no way that they could allow such an atrocity to stand unrectified, but what could they do? There was now way that they could open the Cage on their own, especially without releasing Michael and Lucifer as well.

They didn’t believe that their Father had intended what had occured, but regardless, they were scared to try and release their brothers. Not for fear of their Father’s wrath, but for fear of what the two would bring upon the Earth, as they were fighting even now.

But then they noticed something sitting atop their desk.

Normally, they kept their desk clean, and free of any clutter. It made it easier to find anything that would need to be brought to their attention immediately, and anything that needed to be on hand at any point in time could be found within the multiple drawers.

So why was there now a scroll, sitting atop the dark wood of the desk?

No one had entered their office, they would have known, and there was no way that they had left it sitting there when they had left for Earth, as leaving any trace of clutter behind would have driven them mad. 

They reached for the scroll, carefully untying the ribbon that held it closed.

As they read the words written upon the scroll, their eyes widened, and they quickly made to return to the Earth. They now knew what they would need to do, and it would need to be done quickly.

  


* * *

  


Finding the ingredients for the spell had been the easy part. Keeping Castiel unaware of their plan, while misleading him towards a different plan entirely was vastly more difficult.

It had been naught but by the Grace of the Father that the time to open Purgatory was drawing close, giving reasonable doubt as to Raphael’s true plan. If Castiel still believed that their fight was over merely who should rule, then it would be all the better for Raphael. For what need would an Archangel have of their siblings, when they could have the whole of Purgatory at their fingertips?

The ruse was simple, yet effective, and the Seraph had fallen for it harder than he had fallen for the sake of a single human. And it had given Raphael more than enough time to find what they needed, as well as finding ways to keep Castiel from actually finding any of the ingredients that would actually open the realm. It would not do for them to put so much effort into their task, only to be foiled by someone actually opening wide the door to Purgatory.

Several days passed, but after much toil, and not nearly enough rest to prepare themself, Raphael was finally ready.

They journeyed to a place upon the Earth where none had traveled to for many years, laying down wards quickly and efficiently. They would only have one chance at what they needed to do, and not much time to do it all in. The spell, one of the few that they had not been there for the creation of, was the one thing that would be able to help them free the Fledgling that had fallen into the cage with Michael and Lucifer.

With quick, skilled movements, they prepared everything they would need, cutting and mixing and burning the ingredients, until the time came to finish the ritual. Their hands shook as they whispered the words to the spell, ripping apart the scroll they had been given as they threw it into the small fire along with the rest of the ingredients. There was no going back, no second tries.

After just a moment, the flame flared up, sparks flying through the air, as a hole began to form at Raphael’s feet. 

They peered down into the hole, hoping, praying, begging their Father that they would be able to save the child.

It wasn’t more than an instant before there was a bright light racing directly towards them, causing them to back away quickly, staring in awe at the being in front of them.

The scars were clear. Entire chunks of what had been a bright, strong human Soul had been torn away, with mismatched bits of Grace lying in its place, as if put together to help keep the Soul from fading away completely. But it wasn’t something that had been done deliberately. It was sloppy, as if done in a panic, or even by mistake. And the Fledgling was trembling, hardly able to stay stable on it’s own.

Their heart aching for the child, Raphael opened their wings and arms, drawing the infantile Grace close as they cooed to it, enveloping it in their own Grace as the child attempted to soothe itself.

“Calm, Little One, there is no need to fear any longer.” They were whispering in Enochian, knowing that the time that the child had spent in the Cage had been vastly longer than any time that had been spent upon Earth. “I will return you to where you belong, and gather everything needed to help keep you safe.”

The child was cowering, and Raphael stood still for several more minutes, but they could feel the Grace of Castiel growing ever closer, and they knew that they needed to move quickly.

“We can’t take you back to your body yet, that would be the first place that he would look.” Raphael did not want to have to take the Grace-Soul to Heaven, as it would certainly bring more attention to what they had done, but it was quickly becoming their only choice.

With a sigh, Raphael took flight, racing to return to their office without letting Castiel catch even the slightest glimpse of the precious child that they held close. 

  


* * *

  


It was nearly three days upon the Earth before Raphael was able to gain the chance to return the Grace infused Soul to the body of Samuel Winchester. They had kept a close eye on the situation that was unfolding with the Winchesters, watching as Dean had finally realized that something was strange with the body of his brother, and had resorted to locking the boy’s body in a warded basement from which there was no easy escape. It would be easy for Raphael to enter the basement and deliver the Grace-Soul to it’s rightful owner, but at the same time, they were hesitant. 

After all the time that they had spent cradling the Grace-Soul within their own Grace, they could almost say that they knew Samuel Winchester at the core of his being better than any other in the world, save for their Father. And They certainly did not like everything that they knew about the child and his situation, even as he was attempting to find his own way in the world. For a child to be cast out, merely for seeking to better himself, it was almost unthinkable. Any parent should have been proud to know that their child was trying to learn and grow, but not John Winchester. He had a plan for his sons, and the moment either of them had dared to stray from that plan, he had lashed out at them.

It was horrifying, but even worse was how Dean seemed to start following the same path as his father. He had already told Samuel that they were better off apart, and if things didn’t change soon, it was likely that their relationship would fall apart entirely.

But there was no time for Raphael to ponder such things. They had their chance to restore Samuel to as he should be, and they would not waste it.

They flew to the home of Robert Singer, where Dean had left his brother’s body. With barely a touch to the boy’s head, they watched as the body fell onto the bed, looking at it with pity.

The poor boy had been through so much on his own, and bore the signs of all of it. From scars gained from hunting to scars gained from mistreatment from his father, and left over damage from the Cage that still had not healed, there was so much suffering that it made Raphael’s very being ache. But there was nothing that they could do to help ease Samuel’s pain until they returned his Soul to him, changed though it may be.

And so, they gently guided the boy’s Grace-Soul from where it had been fully enveloped in their being, smiling sadly at the clear longing of the infantile Grace to stay near the source of comfort and safety that it had known for so many days. But Raphael knew that they could not wait any longer. They could feel the swiftly approaching Grace of Castiel, along with the Soul of Dean Winchester coming close to the door that would lead to the room he had left his brother in.

With a final embrace of the young Grace-Soul, and a last whispered blessing, Raphael slowly and carefully led the changed Soul to where it belonged, flying away before the boy would have a chance to wake.

They would keep a very close eye on Samuel, and the moment they were able, Raphael swore to themself that they would return to teach and train him in how to use his new Grace, as well as help to heal all of the scars that still remained, both in body and Soul.

  


* * *

  


Sam was confused, disoriented, and frightened.

Everything had changed so quickly, going from endless pain to endless peace to confusion and solitude too quick for him to keep track of anything, even as he was led from the panic room and into the Impala.

Dean was saying something, but he couldn’t hear it, or comprehend any of what the words meant. All Sam could hear was the rumble of the car as it surrounded him, and the constant thudding of his heart as he strained to find any sign that Michael or Lucifer were anywhere nearby, about to attack at any moment.

He wanted to run, to hide, to go somewhere he would never be found, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave the car, even if he wanted to, and Dean was watching him too close for him to hide, even in the backseat of the car.

He didn’t know where they were going, how long it would take to get there, or even how long they had been driving so far. But he was too scared to ask, should it prove to have been another one of Lucifer’s illusions the whole time.

But even as he had that thought, there was something that told him that everything was real, or at least as real as it could be, when compared to everything he had known in his time in the Cage with them.

  


And then the car was stopping and Dean was pulling Sam out, leading him into what looked like an abandoned warehouse. Sam was confused, but started walking around the open area anyway, not sure as to why he had been brought to this strange area.

Dean was saying something, but Sam wasn’t paying attention, trying to figure out why something inside him was screaming for him to run, to get away, to find the safe again, to-

And then the ground at his feet caught fire, and he couldn’t feel anything, except the heat and the pain.

  


* * *

  


Raphael knew instantly that something had happened to Samuel. They had been focused on the boy’s Grace from the moment that they had needed to leave him, ensuring that the boy would be safe until they were able to go to him again. But that safety had clearly not lasted, as _ something _ had happened, something that entirely blocked them from feeling any of the infantile power that the boy’s soul held within itself.

He wasn’t dead, that much they could tell, but that left very few possibilities as to what could have blocked the boy’s soul, and each option was more worrying than the last.

Both of the Winchesters had dabbled in creating hex bags to hide themselves in the past. While it was possible to create a bag that would be capable of hiding something as strong as Angelic Grace, the list of things that would be needed was extensive, and not something that could be gathered so quickly.

Another option was that perhaps Castiel had placed warding upon Samuel, but the Seraph had not been near the Winchesters in several days.

More and more options were quickly ruled out, until Raphael was left with only one possibility for what had happened, and it made their very being shudder in memory.

Something, or someone, had most likely trapped Samuel in a ring of Holy Fire.

Uncaring of any consequences that may follow them, Raphael quickly flew away from their office, where they had been preparing what they would need to help Samuel, rushing towards the last place where they had felt the Fledgling’s Grace coming from. They could feel Castiel following them, but they didn’t care. They needed to help Samuel, no matter what. Anything else could wait until they ensured that the child was safe, and not being harmed in any way.

They landed upon Earth, quickly running through the city block that was entirely filled with abandoned warehouses, trying to find any sign of the child that they had quickly found love for, as if he were their own. They could feel Castiel chasing after them, but they paid him no heed as they turned to look into one of the warehouses, freezing at what they saw.

Samuel was in the middle of a ring of Holy Fire, falling to his knees as he began to empty his stomach, nearly collapsing from the disorientation that Holy Fire brought. And standing right outside the ring, still holding the lighter that had been used to set the Holy Oil ablaze, was Dean Winchester, who was shouting at Samuel, demanding to know, “Which Angel bastard stole Sam’s body”.

Rage filled Raphael's being, and they spared barely a thought for the Grace it took to push Dean into unconsciousness, leaving the human sprawled on the floor in a heap. For the human to be so cruel as to torture his brother, it made Raphael sick.

There was a gasp from Castiel, as the Seraph took in the sight before him, drawing his blade quickly.

While Raphael wished to be able to ignore the foolish Seraph, they knew that they couldn't. “Peace, brother. I have not harmed your precious human yet, though if any harm has befallen my charge, that will quickly change.”

If Castiel was to reply, they did not care. They instead dug into the earth with their Grace, drawing up the soil around Samuel, and using it to extinguish the Holy Fire that had trapped the boy.

Distantly, they heard a choked sound from Castiel, likely as a response to the feeling of Samuel's Grace-Soul, but all their focus was on the heaving and trembling child in front of them.

They immediately drew Samuel's body close to their own, unfurling their wings to aid in blocking out the sudden flood of sensation that would be crashing into the Fledgling Grace. As Samuel clung to the clothing that their vessel wore, Raphael felt ill.

Holy Fire was not only one of the few things that could harm an Angel, but it was also one of three things in all existence that could permanently destroy an Angel's Grace, a wound from which there was no recovery, and no way to remove the damaged section of Grace had ever been found. Wounds from Holy Fire were carried for the rest of eternity, unless the Father Himself saw fit to heal it. Such ways of harming another had not been used against any Angel, even during Lucifer's Rebellion. It had been seen by both sides as something far too cruel, and far too great of a loss, for to intentionally maim an Angel in such a way would cause it's wielder to surrender their divinity.

Its alternative use had been discovered entirely accidentally, when a young Angel had been under attack, and sought a way to ensure he would be able to get to safety. The Angel that had been entrapped had been found nearly three days later, entirely immobilized from the effects, which had lasted almost as many days after he had been freed.

Further tests, with willing participants, who were all aware of the risks, had shown just how dangerous Holy Fire truly could be.

Not only did it immobilize any trapped within its confines, but it had other effects that varied somewhat from Angel to Angel. For some, it made them disoriented, dazed, and confused. Others found that they were entirely unaffected, save for being incapable of leaving the circle. Others still found that they had no memory of anything that happened to them for the entire time they had been trapped, with the time between capture and release feeling to be nothing more than a moment.

But there had been some who had found that their entire being felt as if they were being pulled apart, forced to separate their very being from their vessels, and incapable of even feeling any evidence that their Grace was there, for the entire time that they had been enclosed in the Flames. They were few in number, barely ten of the thousand that had offered to help them all learn and understand what had happened, but it was still far more than enough for every angel on either side of the Rebellion to understand the extreme risks that came of using Holy Fire.

Both sides had immediately outlawed its use, casting out from their ranks any who had been found using it. But the knowledge had stayed in the minds of every Angel, including those who had fallen, and those who had been foolish enough to teach their favorite humans how to trap one as strong as an Archangel with it.

“Castiel, you have one minute to gather your human and leave, lest I smite you both where you stand for what was done here.” Raphael left no room for confusion in their words, only allowing themself to relax when they felt Castiel depart, taking the human with him.

But they did not relax for long, as they began to look Samuel over for any potential injuries that his moments in the Holy Fire had caused. It was hardly a moment later, when Raphael felt it.

The Grace of The Father, and nearby.

Raphael could have cried. It had been so long since they had felt any sign that their Father still cared, since He had left them to live on the Earth, and to feel Him so close, after so many years, was almost overwhelming.

“Father…” They whispered, closing their eyes and pulling Samuel ever closer as they felt a gentle hand rest atop their head. “I-”

There was a soft sigh, and Raphael had to fight to keep from sobbing as their Father spoke to them for the first time in so long. “I know Raphael, I know. You have worked so hard to help your brothers, and I am so proud of you.”

Raphael was shaking, afraid to look at their Father, should He leave before they could ask what they needed to. “What happened to him? What caused so much damage?”

There was a pause, before The Father spoke. “The Cage happened.”

  


* * *

  


When most imagined The Cage, they imagined a small, cramped area, with iron bars, no comfort, and no way to escape.

They were only partially correct. For The Cage was an infinite space for any who happened to be within, appearing in whatever way they were capable of understanding it, though it’s appearance could shift to the will of those inside, should their will be strong enough.

But that was not all that there was to The Cage. For its purpose as a sort of ‘time out corner’ had been twisted by a great and mighty Darkness that had latched onto the first inhabitant, changing it from a place to calm down and reflect on one’s actions, into a place of near unending pain and torment.

On the day that Samuel Winchester had bested not one, but _ two _ Archangels, bringing them to The Cage, even as he himself fell in, there had been several things that had happened in the moments after they had landed with a crash.

First, the impact had caused Samuel’s Soul to separate from his body, sending both tumbling in different directions from the shock.

Second, The Cage had shaken from the force of the rage of an Archangel, and the pain of another, both screaming out in unison.

Third, a Seraph had rushed in, taking Samuel’s body and barely managing to escape the swiftly closing doors.

And as each of those things finished, the corruption within the foundations of The Cage had awoken, moving to act against the fragile Soul that had been left behind.

Years passed.

The rage of an Archangel had faded, turning instead to concern for his injured brother, needing to help in order to not fall into the despair that had consumed him before. And yet they were both entirely unaware of the suffering of the forgotten Soul.

And they had remained unaware for nearly a century, when Samuel had finally been able to escape the endless torture, running as fast as he could towards the two sources of safety and warmth, hardly able to reach them before he collapsed, crying out in terror and pain.

Both Archangels had been horrified at the faint, barely there glow of Samuel’s soul, working as fast as they could to try and repair the tatters of the Soul, panicking when nothing was working. Neither of them had any clue that the Soul had been left behind, but their ignorance and negligence had caused far more harm than if they were to have paid even the slightest bit of attention.

They had both tried everything they could think of, but there was nothing that could be done to heal a Soul. It was likely that The Father would be the only one capable of doing anything to heal a Soul, but even so, a Soul was so complicated, even He may not be fully able to entirely heal all of the damage.

But then, they had found something that had been able to work.

It had been a miracle found through a fit of frustration. Michael had grown upset with himself, and the horrifying injuries to his Grace, and had attempted to tear away the damaged portions. As one of the microscopic pieces of Grace fell off, barely more than a scab in human terms, it fell atop the broken and battered Soul, quickly being absorbed by the Soul, which slowly began to glow the slightest bit brighter.

Immediately, they both knew what they needed to do.

More time passed. The Archangels had done everything that they could possibly do to help Samuel’s soul, even going so far as to tear away pieces of their own Grace to attempt to fill the tears that had been left behind as a result of the torment The Cage had caused him to suffer. There was nothing more that they could do, save to hold the Soul between them, and keep it safe from any further manipulations from The Cage.

Both Archangels knew that they could only protect Samuel for so long, as the corruption of The Cage was steadily working towards where they were laying, holding the broken Soul. But there was no escaping The Cage, unless The Father released them, or someone was foolish enough to open an entryway from the Earth.

And so they rested where they were, hoping and praying for some way to, if nothing else, allow Samuel freedom.

For years, they waited.

And then the smallest of gaps in the structure of The Cage opened, and they knew they would need to act quickly.

They whispered to Samuel’s soul, quickly but carefully coaxing the soul away from their Grace, flying to where the tear had formed, looking at each other with tears in their eyes as they both pushed with all their strength, sending Samuel’s soul into whatever awaited him on the other side of the tear, knowing that if nothing else, it would lead him to places far safer than the endless torture that The Cage brought.

  


* * *

  


Raphael was openly crying as their Father finished telling them of the suffering that Samuel had been through, clutching the boy’s body close.

Samuel had been so strong, so brave, and had fought so long and hard, and had barely survived the experience. And Raphael was _ so proud _ of him, there were hardly enough words in every language in existence to express their pride.

“What can I do? How can I help him recover?”

Raphael was desperate. They needed to help him, to ensure that Samuel would be able to grow into someone that would be strong and capable.

“All you will need to do is to aid him, the same as you aided all your siblings before they were grown. He will need more help in certain areas than others did, but each child has always come with their own challenges.” The Father was quiet for a time, before reaching around Raphael to rest a gentle hand atop Samuel’s head. “He is a child of Heaven and Earth now, as a result of the sacrifices that Michael and Lucifer have made for his sake. I am entrusting you with his safety and growth, until I return once more, your brothers in tow.”

Raphael froze, their tears stilling for a moment before continuing just as heavily. The last time any being had been called a child of Heaven and Earth, there had been a great sorrow, entirely unlike any sorrow there had been before then, and no sorrow had come close to replicating it since. For their Father to use such words now, after so long, it filled their heart with hope, both for Samuel, and for the future.

Especially if He were to return once more.

With a steady heart, and the knowledge of what they were to do firmly in their mind, Raphael closed their eyes once more as they nodded. “I will do whatever you ask of me Father, even dive into the very depths of Hell by myself in order to ensure the safety of Samuel.”

There was a soft chuckle then, before a soft kiss was pressed on the top of Raphael’s head. “You will not be alone, not in this task. Go now, and take Samuel to his new home. You will find your help there.” One final moment passed, wherein Raphael was entirely enveloped in the love and peace of their Father, before they were alone once more, holding Heaven’s youngest child close.

  


* * *

  


Chaos reigned in the halls of Heaven as Gabriel walked through his home, trying to figure out exactly where the shit had hit the fan in the time he had been down for the count.

The fact that both Michael and Lucifer had ended up in The Cage had been enough of a shock, but for an entire civil war to break out? It was almost insane! Angels weren’t supposed to fight amongst each other, especially if it was something that would lead to the death of others. It was almost like they were asking for them all to start dying off, which would lead to nothing but disaster.

Gabriel wasn’t about to leave his siblings to themselves, if this was what they were going to do with themselves in the meantime.

Just the fact that the supposed leaders of the war were a Seraph and an Archangel was worrying enough. For it to be Castiel and Raphael that were the leaders was almost something out of a fever dream. One of the most obedient Seraphs, and the most peaceful of the Archangels, waging war against one another, leading those who followed them towards pain, death, and destruction, and for what?

Several were whispering that Raphael had wished to re-open The Cage, and allow Michael and Lucifer to bring about the end. But it just didn’t seem right to Gabriel. He knew his sibling, almost better than any other, and they weren’t the kind to wish the end upon the Earth. They wanted peace, quiet, and safety for any who they came in contact with. Not pain, suffering, and death. It just wasn’t right, and Gabriel needed to look into things more.

But there wasn’t any way for him to ask Raphael where things had gone wrong, as one of their healers had explained that the Archangel had ran to Earth, without leaving any message as to where they would be going, or when they would be returning.

Gabriel was starting to get concerned, and the day was only just starting. Not only had he been resurrected after being dead for somewhere close to a year, but he had almost immediately been confronted with a mission from his Father, who hadn’t spoken to him in nearly three centuries, before being sent right back to heaven, where he had immediately been surrounded by multiple Angels, demanding to know where he had been, when he had come back, and if he was going to help with the situation.

He had no way of knowing what he was supposed to do, or even what anyone wanted him to do, when he heard it.

The scream of a child, no a Fledgling, and one who was far too young to be alone. One that was in pain.

Instantly, the entire Host of Heaven burst into chaos, rushing from room to room to try and find where the Fledgling was, and what had happened to the child, but there was no sign of them, or any sign of what had happened to them.

Not wanting to let the poor Fledgling get swarmed, Gabriel whistled sharply, calling the attention of all those nearby toward himself. “Settle down!” He waited until everyone was quiet, before sighing. “I get it. We all want to know what’s happening, and where the kid is. I’m right there with you. But we need to be smart about this, and keep from scaring the poor kid.”

“But we need to find them!” An Angel called out, others shouting their agreement.

“I’m not saying we aren’t going to find them,” Gabriel started, holding his hands out in a gesture of peace. “Just that we don’t know what the situation is. This is the first time we’ve ever heard of them, and we don’t know why. They could have been hidden by a parent afraid of the apocalypse, and have no idea that there are others like them. Or, they could be the child of a Fallen, raised on earth and possibly even mistreated, and afraid of any being with Grace.”

There was a murmur of unease through the crowd, and Gabriel could not blame them. The thought that an Angel, Fallen or not, would be able to mistreat a Fledgling was horrifying to say the least. Children, whether they be Angelic Fledglings or human children, were to be protected and cherished, no matter how they behaved. To harm a child, no matter how it was done, or the child’s behavior, was a crime, and whoever had caused the Fledgling to cry out as they did would be punished severely.

Fully aware that every single eye was on him, Gabriel looked over the crowd, trying to think of what steps should be taken next. Before he could speak though, another Angel called out.

“We should at least locate them! There’s no use just sitting here, waiting for things to get worse!”

Countless shouts of agreement were raised, and Gabriel knew that he had to act quickly to keep the crowd from falling into complete anarchy.

“Quiet!” He shouted, shocking all who were present. When they had all settled again, he sighed. “Be quiet. Please. Fighting will do nothing to aid our search for the Fledgling. If anything, it will delay it.” With a deep breath, Gabriel continued. “Raphael is already upon the Earth, and they are likely already close to finding the Fledgling, if they haven’t already. If they return, and don’t have the Fledgling in tow, then we will form groups to search out the location of the Fledgling. Otherwise, we need to be smart about this, and remain calm, so as to not startle the child when we find them.”

There was a quiet moment, where all seemed to be well among the Heavenly Host, before a quiet voice spoke out.

“Well said, Brother.”

Gabriel turned around as fast as he could, a relieved smile on his face for a moment, but only until he caught sight of the small bundle in his sibling’s arms.

A small child, looking to be no older than five years old, with soft brown hair, tear tracks visible on their face, and a Soul that was so painfully familiar, Gabriel would recognize it no matter what outer form it was contained in.

Heaven’s newest child, the Fledgling who’s very existence had caused mass panic within the realms of Heaven, was Sam Winchester.

  


* * *

  


Raphael wrapped a blanket around the small form of Samuel, smiling gently as they ensured that the boy would be safe while he slept.

It had been so long since there were any Fledglings within the Heavenly halls, that there were no longer any dedicated areas for them to sleep within. But it was no bother to Raphael to lend one of the many cots within the infirmary for Samuel to use, at least until a more permanent solution was found.

Gabriel was standing in the doorway, watching closely as Raphael finished tucking Samuel into bed for the evening. “I almost thought you’d forgotten how to do that.”

Raphael’s smile grew, as they turned to face their brother. “Tell me brother, when would I have forgotten? With all of the foolish Angels constantly getting themselves into trouble, and injuring themselves, there has been no time for me to ever rest.”

Getting up from where they were sitting on the side of the bed that Samuel was sleeping in, Raphael walked over to their brother, placing a hand atop his shoulder. “Honestly though? I had more than enough practice in aiding our brothers to raise you. You were quite the active Fledgling, and it always took at least an hour to get you to finally accept the inevitable and go to sleep.”

Gabriel gasped, holding a hand over his vessel’s heart as his face twisted into an expression of mock hurt. “Raphael! I’ll have you know that I was a delightful Fledgling! Father Himself can agree!”

Raphael rolled their eyes, guiding Gabriel towards their office so as not to disturb Samuel’s sleep. “Then explain why nearly everything that you created when Father let you into His workshop ended up in Australia, which the Humans call Hell upon Earth?”

Gabriel smirked, opening the door to Raphael’s office before they could. “Hey, some people just don’t know when they’ve been given a good thing.” As they both entered the office, Gabriel took it upon himself to sit atop Raphael’s desk, taking up far more than his fair share of space. “The platypus was a genius move, but none of you were ready for it. It’ll happen some day.”

“Oh? And I take it that you will rule our home when that day comes?”

All too quickly, the smile fell from Gabriel’s face, and he looked troubled. Immediately, Raphael regretted their words. “That is the last thing I have ever wanted.” Gabriel was whispering, and Raphael felt their heart break. They never wanted to hurt their brother, but it seemed that they had done so regardless.

“Gabe, I-” There was nothing that they could say. Nothing could make what they said right, not anything they could do anyway. But they had to try anyway. “I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry.”

There was a sigh from Gabriel, before he smiled weakly, and Raphael knew that the moment that they had been sharing had ended. “Hey, we can let Sam rule, Dad only knows that the kid could use a confidence boost.”

With a soft smile, Raphael moved to sit in the chair behind their desk, reaching out to rest a hand on their brother’s knee. There were no words between them, but none were needed. They were home, and safe, and they could get through what was needed to help Samuel.

They sat in silence for quite a while, until Gabriel sighed, looking at Raphael with a serious look on his face.

“Now then, how do we start helping the kid?”

  


* * *

  


Sam was warm.

He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so warm, and safe, and comfy all at the same time. Even with Mi and Lu he wasn’t at the right temperature, or being held _ just right _ or kept safe all at the same time, because they could only focus on so much at once and keeping him safe was always the most important, and comfort was always second, but he understood and was fine with it.

So where was he that he was so warm and comfy and safe all at the same time? He could hear someone talking to someone else, and they were talking close to him, but who were they? He thought he recognized one of the voices, but from where?

He needed to open his eyes and see. But he was scared to.

What if he wasn’t safe at all, and whoever was talking was trying to trick him into thinking he was, and the moment he opened his eyes he was going to be hurt again? It wasn’t the first time that he had been tricked, and he was terrified that the warm and safe was a lie.

But he had to know.

So he peeked out towards the direction of the voices, careful not to let anyone know he was looking at them.

And what he saw shocked him.

There were Angels right in front of him. Not just any Angels, Archangels. And they were talking about _ him _.

He couldn’t make out a lot of what they were talking about, but it was enough.

_ “-so much damage-” _

_ “-did what He could-” _

_ “-can’t believe-” _

_ “-Sam is very special.” _

Feeling a little braver, Sam opened his eyes a little more, watching the Archangels as they talked. They didn’t sound angry, or like they wanted to hurt him, but he was still cautious.

But after several minutes of watching the two talk in rapid-fire Enochian that he couldn’t understand, Sam knew he needed to know more. So he sat up, careful to keep the soft, warm blanket around his shoulders so he would stay warm.

He yawned, rubbing at his eyes as he looked toward the two angels. “What talking about?”

Sam watched as the Archangels jolted, looking at him in shock and surprise, which made him feel nervous, but a little happy too. One of the Archangels started to move closer, but sat down on the floor instead of coming too close, and started to talk.

“Well, we were trying to decide something.”

Sam tilted his head. “Decide what?”

The Archangel smiled. “We’re trying to decide which one of us is going to hug you first kiddo. If I do, then I’m absolutely gonna make sure that you’re spoiled rotton, and give you everything you want, no matter how silly.”

Sam gasped, holding the blanket tight as he looked at the Archangel. “Really?”

“I promise.”

Hesitantly, Sam started to smile, feeling more comfortable about where he was. He still wasn’t sure exactly where he was, but he was a lot more calm and feeling safe.

At least, until the other Archangel started coming closer, and he tried to back away as much as he could, but he couldn’t escape from the blanket or hide anywhere, and he was starting to get scared again.

But somehow, the Archangel stopped, backing away slowly as they raised their hands. “It’s alright little one, there is no need to fear us. I swear it to you.”

Sam wanted to believe the Archangel, but he didn’t know if he could. He didn’t know them, didn’t even know their names. He wanted Mi and Lu. Not these new Archangels. And he was gonna make sure they all knew it.

“Mi? Lu?”

One of the Archangels looked at him funny for a second, but the other just smiled. “They will be joining us later, after our Father has had a chance to speak with them. I can’t promise you how long it will be before they come, but Father has promised that you will be reunited with them, and it will not be a promise that is in vain.”

Sam sniffled, trying to wrap the blanket closer around himself, but it was already wrapped as tight around him as it could be. It wasn’t fair, he wanted his Mi and his Lu, and for both of them to hold him. He didn’t want to sit and be stuck with these two new Archangels that he didn’t know anything about, even if he thought he knew one of them from somewhere.

Both of the Archangels were looking at him funny now, but he didn’t care. His good mood was gone, and he laid back down, back turned to them as he tried not to cry.

He just wanted everything to be back to how it was.

  


* * *

  


The next several days were difficult for everyone.

Samuel's Grace Soul cried out constantly, begging for the comfort of his guardians, but nothing that either Raphael or Gabriel could do helped to ease his constant tears. It seemed that it was a void that could only be filled by the presence of Michael and Lucifer, both of whom were still in The Cage.

Gabriel had tried everything he could think of to try and calm Samuel, but nothing had caused the boy's tears to pause for more than a moment. Pranks against Raphael had only made Samuel panic, and creating things had made him nervous. Tales from his time as a Trickster had seemed to work for a time, but there were only so many stories that could be told to one so young, especially when he had experienced far more than his fair share of violence and terror over the years.

And Raphael, well, Raphael scared him. There was no other way to put it. There was no way of knowing how much Samuel remembered, either from his life before or during his stay in the Cage, but while he seemed to have at least some vague idea as to who Gabriel was, Raphael was a complete stranger, and vastly more intimidating.

They were out of options, and needed a way to help calm the child before his Grace grew too stressed, lashing out at anyone and anything that wasn't one of the two he longed for the most.

The Archangels had instructed everyone to keep away from Samuel, to keep from increasing his already monumental stress and anxiety, but everyone could hear the child's cries, the unrest in Heaven growing with every hour that passed without some form of relief finding the boy.

It was exactly that unrest which had Samandriel sneaking through the halls leading to the infirmary, intent on doing anything he could for Samuel.

He was young, the youngest Angel, and it showed, both in his size, and his Grace. And, if everything worked how he wanted it to, his youth might just make him seem less intimidating.

Hopefully. He wasn’t so sure that he would be able to do anything but make things worse.

Maybe if he were to take something to Samuel? He knew from his occasional visits to Earth that children often had a stuffed toy that they carried around, both for fun and for comfort, but he hadn’t seen anything like that when Raphael had brought Samuel to Heaven. That would be a good place to start.

Standing outside the door to the infirmary, Samandriel listened to the still ceaseless cries, trying to figure out what to create. A puppy? No, that was too easy. As were cats, bears, bunnies, wolves, foxes, and lambs. Snakes were probably a bad idea, cows weren’t super cuddly, and hedgehogs were too spikey. He wanted Samuel to have something special, but what was special enough, but still cuddly? It had to be soft, obviously, and big enough for Samuel to enjoy for years to come, but most importantly, it needed to look friendly enough to not spook the boy.

With a hum, as the cries inside slowly grew louder, Samandriel gathered his Grace, using it to form a decently sized, soft, perfectly snuggly stuffed animal. He held it in his hands, smiling softly at what he had created. It was perfect.

There wasn’t time to plan anything else, or to create another stuffed animal. The cries were growing ever louder and more distressed with the minute, and the Archangels would be coming soon to try and calm Samuel, and would surely chase him away. He needed to act now.

Quietly, Samandriel opened the door to the infirmary, sneaking past the healers and patients, until he came to a secluded room in the back, away from everyone else. This had to be where Samuel was.

With a final glance to ensure that no one was watching him, Samandriel slipped inside the small room.

Looking around the room, Samandriel’s heart ached for Samuel. The room was bare, holding only a small bed, which held the shaking and crying child, and a window that overlooked one of several gardens within Heaven. There was nothing to mark the room as belonging to a child, no toys, no plush things, no soft colors to bring joy and comfort, just a small room, with white walls, and a white bed, and an out of reach window.

It broke his heart, to see the poor boy in such a state, especially when every Fledgling before Samuel had been raised in a far more inviting environment.

He needed to do something. And so he called out.

“Samuel?” he whispered, walking close to the bed. “I know you don’t know me, and I don’t really know you. But I wanted to give you something, if you’ll have it.”

Samuel was shaking, overpowered by his tears, but much to Samandriel’s surprise, the boy turned to look at him. With a soft smile, Samandriel walked closer, before kneeling next to the bed.

“I know it’s not much, but I thought you would want to have something small to cuddle with, so you aren’t so scared here.”

Holding up the stuffed animal that he had created, he waited for any reaction from Samuel. It took several moments, but Samuel slowly sat up, sniffling slightly as he unconsciously reached for the toy.

“What is it?”

Slightly startled by the quiet words from the boy, Samandriel looked over the stuffed toy that he had created. “I guess it’s a hippo. It’s yours, if you want it.”

Samuel gasped, leaning to grasp at one of the hippo’s ears. “Mine?”

Nodding, Samandriel smiled as he continued. “Yours. I promise.” The child’s tears were finally starting to slow, his loud cries from earlier almost entirely stopped. He was finally starting to calm down, and as he started to pull the stuffed toy closer, Samandriel let out a breath of relief. After as much fear as the boy had felt over the several days that had passed, and how many things the Archangels had tried to help him calm down, and it had been something as simple as a stuffed toy that was the key to calming him.

The boy was now holding the toy close, his arms barely able to wrap all the way around the hippo’s torso. “Thank you.” the boy whispered, eyes filling with tears once more, but not from fear. This time, Samandriel was certain that they were from relief, joy, and a fair bit of plain exhaustion from how much he had cried.

“It’s nothing you need to thank me for. I’ve done nothing, beyond what anyone would do for one so young.” Samandriel was glad that he was able to do anything to help Samuel. But there was still more that his instincts demanded him to do. “Is it alright if I sit here with you? I don’t want you to be alone in here.” When Samuel started to look a little nervous, he continued. “It’s up to you. You don’t need to say yes if you don’t want to, it’s just a suggestion.”

Samuel sniffled again, rubbing his face against the top of the hippo’s head. Several minutes passed, before he finally nodded.

Samandriel nodded as well, before moving slowly to sit on the bed next to Samuel. And when Samuel leaned against him, he made no move to leave, or to pull the boy closer. He would let Samuel take the comfort he needed, in the amounts he needed.

And when Samuel finally fell into a restful sleep, curled close to Samandriel's side, he remained.

* * *

  


“Hey, all I’m saying is that I’ve never seen any Fledgling be as distraught as Sammy is, and a pile of candy would definitely help things.”

Raphael sighed as they held their head in their hands. They loved their brother, they really did, but Gabriel wasn’t doing anything that would help them figure out how to calm Samuel down.

Perhaps it was just the stress getting to both of them. After all, it had been almost an entire week of non stop crying from Samuel, and nothing that either Gabriel or Raphael had thought to do had helped. A week of constant stress from the sound of a Fledgling sobbing, and a week of no one being able to stop it. Even now, Samuel’s soft cries were audible, even from Gabriel’s office, nearly on the other side of Heaven.

With another sigh, Raphael shook their head. “Samuel does not need excess sugar, he needs peace. Father knows he deserves it, after everything he’s been through.”

Gabriel nodded. “I know. But the kid also deserves to have good things, and if those good things happen to include Candy Mountain, then I’m gonna damn well make sure he gets them.”

“Candy what….. You know what, I don’t want to know.”

“That’s likely for the best.”

They both faded into a companionable silence, sitting as they listened to the heart breaking cries coming from the infirmary.

Gabriel sighed, running his hands through his hair. “One of us is gonna need to check on him soon. Don’t know what good it would do, but we can at least try and get him to calm down.”

Raphael sighed again, rubbing at their temples in an attempt to ease the headache that had been steadily building over the past week. If things didn’t ease quickly, they may need to attempt to sedate Samuel, but with no way of knowing how he would respond to it, they did not want to risk a negative reaction.

But if it was what was needed to help Samuel find some measure of peace, it would be worth considering.

And yet, they were still hesitant. “What if our interference is precisely what is causing him such distress?” they were quiet for a time, before continuing. “What if he needs to just sit, calm down, and come to terms with what’s happened on his own? With as much stress as he has been through, what if what he needs to do is process by himself?”

Gabriel was quiet as well, a look of consideration on his face. After a moment, he nodded. “If we can’t calm him down today with what we’ve been trying, we’ll give that a shot.”

Raphael nodded, sighing once more as they did. “I guess we should go try and calm him now.”

Another sigh from Gabriel. “Probably.”

The pair sat together in silence a moment more, before stiffening in shock and building horror.

Everything was quiet.

After a week of non-stop crying out, silence should have been welcome. But both Raphael and Gabriel knew all too well that there were still Angels that held severe disdain for the boy. If any of them had found where Sam was staying for the time being, and had harmed him…..

They both shot up from where they were sitting, rushing towards the infirmary as quickly as they could. They needed to know that Samuel was safe, even if it meant risking the destruction of whatever peace the child had found.

They ran into the infirmary, Archangel Blades in hands, quickly throwing open the door to the room where they had left Samuel to rest.

“Samandriel? What are you doing in here?”

Gabriel’s shocked question explained every emotion flowing through both the Archangels. Raphael could barely comprehend what they were seeing, with Samuel not only calm for the first time in a week, but curled up in Samandriel’s lap, clinging to a soft purple hippo plush.

The Angel made a shushing gesture, before looking down at the child sleeping in his lap. “He only just got to sleep, and I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t want him to awaken.”

Raphael was stunned. “How did you manage to calm him?”

There was a soft laugh then, as Samandriel shifted how he was holding Samuel. “The poor kiddo just needed someone who was visibly non threatening, and something soft to hold onto.”

Gabriel sighed, leaning against the doorframe as he ran his hands through his hair.

“And he calmed down, just like that? No need for sedatives, no making him quiet down and sleep, just a stuffed animal, and the kid is out for the count?”

Raphael couldn’t believe it either. They had tried everything they could think of to calm Samuel down, and here this Angel, barely out of childhood himself, had somehow managed it, simply through the act of giving the boy a soft toy to cuddle.

But Samandriel simply nodded, reaching down to brush a stray curl of hair from Samuel’s face. “All he needed was something to hold, someone to hold him, and the knowledge that he was safe.” A moment passed, and Samandriel took a deep breath before looking towards the Archangels. “What happened to him? His Soul, his Grace, everything within him, it’s all torn and injured, in ways that no Grace or Soul has ever been injured, at least that I’ve seen.”

Raphael looked at Gabriel, strangely hesitant about telling the Angel. They didn’t think that Samandriel would do anything to harm the boy, but it could easily be simply due to the fact that he had no prior contact with the boy, but that was not enough to calm the Archangel’s fears. Angels that had no prior contact with Samuel before his journey to The Cage had been cruel to the boy, and those who had been kind had been so only long enough to use him for their uses.

But they trusted Samandriel. They had raised him, helping him to grow from a small, near infantile Fledgling, to the gentle young Angel that he was today.

With a final sigh, Raphael closed their eyes, and began to recount the tale.

* * *

  
  


Sam was warm. He liked being warm. It wasn’t as soft as it was before, but that was ok. He had something soft in his arms, squished against his tummy, and he was warm and safe, and that was all that mattered.

He remembered there being someone with him when he went to sleep. Someone he hadn’t seen before. Someone nice and cuddly and sorta soft and warm enough to sleep on.

He wasn’t sure why he should trust the stranger, but he hadn’t felt as warm and safe as he did in a long time, so he was ok with it.

He knew that he needed to wake up, but he was just so comfy that he didn’t want to move or leave or risk the safety.

But he couldn’t sleep forever either, and he didn’t want to stay in one place forever, so he slowly started to open his eyes.

He yawned softly, looking up at the one holding him. It was the same Angel he had seen before he went to sleep, and he was looking at him and smiling, and Sam couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“Hey there, sweetheart, how are you feeling?” the Angel was asking, gently rubbing the back of the hippo.

Sam was quiet, looking away from the Angel to look at his new hippo friend. “Ok, I guess,” he mumbled, rubbing a hand along the hippo’s nice round face. “I like him.”

The Angel was quiet, but was talking again. “I’m glad you like him. Do you have a name for him?”

He hummed softly, chewing on his lip as he thought. Did his new friend have a name? He didn’t know, and didn’t want to try to give him a name before he knew for sure that he didn’t already have a name. After a moment, he shook his head, looking back at the Angel for a moment, before looking away again.

“That’s alright, you can name him whatever you want, whenever you feel like you want to.”

Really? He’d never been able to do that before, not that he could remember anyway. And he didn’t think that the Angel would take the toy away from him, especially since the Angel had been really nice so far, like his Mi and his Lu, so he decided to trust him.

“I like you.”

The Angel froze for a moment, but Sam didn’t pay too much attention to it. Instead, he focused on his new toy, taking in its soft purple fuzz, the friendly round face, and the nice big smile that would be perfect for playing games.

  


* * *

  


The following days after Samandriel’s intervention had been relatively calm. Samuel still found reason to cry nearly every day, but it was no longer as loud, nor did it last as long as it had before. And with the swift advancements in childproofing that happened as soon as Samuel was cleared to start leaving the infirmary under supervision, the risk of injury was quickly becoming nearly impossible.

Well, as long as he was to remain a child, there would be no doubt that Samuel would find some way to injure himself, either through falling to the ground as he played, or by touching something he should not. But for as long as there was any chance of injury, Raphael would be right there, waiting to heal his every hurt.

Of all the places that Samuel had been escorted to so he could explore, it quickly became clear that he loved the small garden near the infirmary best.

The boy would spend countless hours running between the bushes, climbing trees, and playing to his heart’s content, with hardly any trace of the fear that had plagued him through his first childhood.

But that didn’t mean that there was no fear.

If there was anything Gabriel could say about the situation at hand, it would be that he knew Samuel. In fact, he likely knew the kid better than he knew himself anymore. And part of knowing him, was knowing how he reacted to things.

He had been watching Samuel close for the past several days, and hadn’t failed to notice the way he seemed to never stray from Raphael’s sight, as if worried that the Archangel would get upset with him the moment he left their field of vision. And knowing what he did of Samuel’s first childhood, it wasn’t too hard to believe that such a thing may have happened in the past. And then there was the way that he clung to the stuffed toy that had been created for him. Attachment was one thing, but paranoia was another thing entirely.

Samuel honestly expected someone to take the toy away from him at any moment, and was jealousy protecting every second he had with it.

It made Gabriel’s Grace ache to watch the boy be filled with such worries, even in a place as safe and welcoming as Heaven, but it served as an important reminder as well. Samuel was fragile, as a result of a troubled first childhood, and what he had suffered in The Cage. He needed time to recover, as well as patience and support from those around him. And Gabriel and Raphael were both more than willing to give him exactly what he needed.

And so, as the two Archangels sat in the grassy clearing in the center of the small garden, watching closely as Samuel helped Joshua tend some of the nearby flowers, they both shared a small smile.

For one as timid as Samuel to approach another of his own will, and ask to help them with their task, was a large step forward for the boy. They hadn’t expected anything similar to happen for quite a long time, but as Gabriel thought about it, the situation started to make sense.

Joshua was one of the few Angels that had never directly seen conflict. As such, his Grace had always remained entirely pure, and had often been a source of comfort for so many others. It was no wonder that one such as Samuel would find peace when in the presence of one so similar to their original purpose.

“I am glad that Samuel has found something enjoyable to do.” Raphael spoke softly, careful not to let their voice carry towards the pair in front of them.

Gabriel nodded, watching as Samuel held a small plant for the Gardener, holding one of the legs of the stuffed animal tightly in his other hand. For his credit, Joshua seemed to be more than accepting of the boy’s toy, even though it slowed his progress as he tended to the nearby plants, taking the larger plants to move to where they wouldn’t steal nutrients from the smaller plants.

“Yeah, the kid deserves to do whatever makes him happy.” he agreed, shifting to look at his sibling. “Did you ever consider something like this sooner? Having your own Fledgling, I mean.”

Gabriel was shocked to watch as Raphael shook their head, sighing softly. “I do not foresee such things to be within my future, as I have no interest in such things that lead to the creation of children.”

Nodding softly, Gabriel turned back to look at Samuel, who was watching closely as Joshua carefully twisted several flowers together. “I guess that makes sense. You never really took interest in anyone, even when we were younger. Not like Michael, Heylel and I anyway.”

Raphael’s eye roll was audible. “Gabriel, you are interested in anything that can consent.”

With a wiggle of his eyebrows, Gabriel once more looked towards his sibling, a smirk on his face. “Hey, consent is sexy.”

Raphael sighed, before something caught their attention in the distance.

Gabriel was confused, before following his sibling’s gaze to where Samuel and Joshua were still sitting.

He gasped, tears filling his eyes at what he saw.

It was Samuel, sitting amongst the dozens of flowers that he had helped Joshua to replant, a crown of flowers sitting atop his head. As if designed by the Father Himself, a ray of light pierced through the clouds, illuminating Samuel’s small form as if a halo had been created for him in that moment. His Grace-Soul was so bright, it was almost blinding, and as he looked back towards the Archangels, his smile was almost as bright. He was stunning, and both Gabriel and Raphael were frozen in awe of the incredible being that had been created in Samuel.

There was no way that any who saw Samuel could question that he was supposed to have been the True Vessel of the Lightbringer. Both his Grace and his Soul, combined though they may have been, shone just as bright, if not brighter, than a thousand stars.

The hour was growing late, and the sun was slowly drifting towards the horizon, bathing the small garden in a golden light that seemed to glow, casting an almost magical feel across the entire area. It was perfect, and Gabriel knew that he would remember the sight of Samuel, sitting as he was, for the rest of eternity.

The two archangels might have never stopped staring, but at that moment, the light shifted, drawing their eyes further beyond Sam. Where there had only just a minute ago been nothing but more plants, Michael and Lucifer were now standing quietly. They looked happier and healthier than Gabriel could ever remember them, and they too were staring at the bright grace-soul that was Sam.

It was impossible to say what drew Sam's attention, but the child turned his head to see what they were looking at, and his eyes widened at the sight of what was _ his _. "Mi! Lu!" he shouted, nearly tripping himself in his haste to both rise from the ground and sprint towards them.

Raphael and Gabriel followed slower so that they could also greet their brothers, when Samuel had calmed.

Sam sobbed. A foreleg of the toy hippo was clenched in his small fist and the flower crown on his head slipped, obstructing part of his vision. But he didn’t care. _ His Archangels _ were _ right there _ and he wanted them more than he’d ever wanted anything else, and when he was right there, _ he lept. _

Raphael’s eyes widened as Sam’s back glowed a soft white. Where there had been nothing, there was now a pair of tiny pristine white wings, and instead of jumping a few feet, he had managed to glide upwards, directly into Michael’s chest.

Michael caught the child in a warm hug, even as Sam whimpered, realizing that he was so much higher up than he thought he’d get to and _ what if he fell _.

With his free hand, Sam sought the front of Lu’s shirt and cried harder. He wanted his archangels, plural, and he was so terrified that they would disappear again. What if they abandoned him again?

Michael knelt, balancing Sam on his knees so that he could support the child more easily and lessen his fear of being so high up. Lucifer also knelt, and rubbed Sam’s back, careful not to touch the agitated wings. “It’s okay, Samuel,” Michael whispered. “We’re right here and we’re not going anywhere.”

“Noooooooo…” Samuel was whining, clinging to Lucifer’s shirt as tight as he could. Nothing was ok! They’d said they weren’t leaving before, and then he was alone! He didn’t wanna be alone anymore!

Gabriel knelt in front of his brothers, placing a gentle hand between Samuel’s wings. Looking up at Michael, he whispered softly. “We usually try to get him ready for bed about now. It would probably be best to try and follow that routine.”

There was a nod from both Michael and Lucifer, and the pair turned their attention back to the Fledgling in their arms. There was slight shuffling around as they both worked to get him into a position that would be comfortable for him, while also allowing them to hold him close and be there for him.

But before long, they were all walking away from the garden, towards the rooms where the Archangels’ private nest lay.

  


* * *

  


To say that Raphael was tired would have been quite the understatement.

The process of getting Samuel to the nest where they had once rested was a struggle from the start. Simply walking to the room had been difficult, with Michael and Lucifer never being able to get close enough to the boy, or if they were, he would want Gabriel closer to him, or Raphael, or not want anyone but Michael and Lucifer, but they’d eventually made it.

But then had come bath time. Usually, bath time was an interesting affair, with plenty of laughter and splashing, leaving behind a wet mess by the time all was said and done. But none of that happened. Instead, Samuel cried through the whole bath, constantly fighting to climb out of the bathtub, and reaching for Michael and Lucifer to hold him, even as Raphael and Gabriel tried to wash him as quickly as possible.

But the bath hadn’t been the worst part. No, that wasn’t even close.

The worst part had been the moment when Samuel had realized that he needed to go to sleep.

There had been screaming, flailing, and shouting, and the less that was said about the whole ordeal, the better. As it was, Gabriel’s arm still held a bruise from when Samuel’s foot had found him, and Lucifer’s wings were missing a handful of feathers.

And now, as they all lay in the nest, Samuel _ finally _ asleep, laying atop Michael’s chest, Raphael could barely believe all that had happened.

They could barely comprehend how a child as quiet and agreeable as Samuel could turn as fierce as he had, but it made sense. Samuel had finally been reunited with the ones who had saved him from an eternity of torture, and it had been bound to cause some emotional stress, but for it to be so severe had been a shock.

“Well, that was fun.”

Gabriel’s comment was frustrating, but even as Raphael shook their head, they saw both Michael and Lucifer smile softly. After everything that they had watched happen between their older brothers, they were happy to see the two getting along again.

There were questions that needed to be asked though, ones that couldn’t wait. And with Samuel asleep, calmed for the moment, it seemed that this would have to be the time to ask them. But would either of them be able to handle the questions that Raphael had?

Looking over their brothers, Raphael sighed. “How are you doing?”

Lucifer huffed, before looking at Gabriel with a raised brow. “This wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had feathers ripped out of my wings.” A mildly offended Gabriel gasped, placing a hand over his vessel’s heart as Lucifer turned to face Raphael. “But no, that’s not what you were asking, and I know it.”

There was a sigh from Michael, before he began to speak. “Father healed us both before he sent us home. He said that He would have done the same for Samuel, but we acted too quickly, and now he is to remain as he is.”

Raphael nodded softly, their very core aching at the thought of all that they had seen reflected in the scars between Samuel’s Grace and Soul. “You both did well. He wouldn’t have survived for much longer down there, even if you had both taken everything you’d had, and given it to him.”

Lucifer winced, and Raphael watched as Michael wrapped his wings around the second eldest. “We nearly did,” Michael whispered, his eyes firmly on Samuel’s sleeping form. “We-”

“We tore ourselves to pieces to save him. And when we were able to send him away, there was nothing but sparks of either of us when we were finished.”

The words hung heavily in the air, and Raphael was concerned by the haunted look in Lucifer’s eyes. For him to still carry such trauma, though Michael had said that they had both been healed? It didn’t bode well for either of them, no matter how well they said they were handling things. But Raphael was still uncertain as to if it would be safe enough to ask their brothers, or if it would be best to let them rest and recover for a time first.

With a sigh, they looked towards Gabriel, who nodded in agreement.

For the moment, they would wait. And when the time was right, they would ask their questions.

  


* * *

  


Over the course of his life, Lucifer had raised countless Fledglings. From those as excitable and curious as Gabriel, to those who had shared Raphael’s calm demeanor, there was little that he hadn’t seen in a Fledgling.

And that experience, though put to a halt by his time in The Cage, was one of the reasons why he wasn’t too surprised by Samuel’s moodiness upon waking.

The boy had been up far past his bedtime, had a day that was far too emotional, and had accidentally been woken too early when Gabriel had left the room, the door closing loudly behind him. it was the perfect recipe for a grumpy child, no matter how old they may have been.

With that in mind, he had prepared for a nice, quiet day, one that would likely be spent exclusively in the nest with the other Archangels, and Samuel, where the boy could rest, and come to terms that he and Michael were free to be with the one who had changed their minds about everything.

But even that had been a challenge.

At first, Samuel had been more than happy to lay and cuddle, but all too soon the whining had started. He was being held too tight, or not tight enough, or not by the right person, and when they would transfer him to the hold of the one he had wanted, he would cry more at having been moved at all.

Any human parent would have long tired of the constant whining and tears, but not Lucifer.

He understood better than most that sometimes, a child just needed to release all the emotions that were too big for them. And if it meant hours upon hours of crying, then so be it.

It was nearing midday when Michael had decided that he wished to take a walk through the various Gardens of Heaven, wanting to find the reason behind the turmoil that Raphael had been avoiding talking about. Lucifer had agreed that it would be wise, though it meant that they would need to bring Samuel with him in order to keep him as calm as possible.

But as they walked through one of the larger gardens, they quickly found that the peace was tentative at best.

Samuel was still whining, and though he was mostly quiet, his tears had yet to stop entirely, occasionally dampening the fabric of Lucifer's shirt where he was laying his head.

Lucifer sighed as he rubbed Samuel's back, before gently feeling the boy's wings. They were as soft and delicate as any other Fledgling's, but there were no signs of any abnormalities, especially after the brief attempt at flight so soon after his wings had formed properly.

That wasn’t to say that his wings couldn’t use a grooming, but for the time being, Lucifer was happy enough with their condition. Grooming could come another day, when Samuel wasn’t on the verge of tears. Which he was, and likely would remain as such for several days yet.

“Is he alright?”

Michael’s soft question hung in the air, and Lucifer hummed softly as he nodded. “For the moment, yes. But we will need to find a way to help him stabilize before much longer.”

There was a smile from Michael then. “Yes, Fledglings his age always seemed to find new and interesting ways to cause their wings to become dirty.”

The pair shared a quiet moment, before Michael sighed. “I’m not seeing any signs of the Rebellion that Raphael mentioned, are you?”

“No, but that could be because we aren’t looking hard enough. That, or they’re staying away from the Gardens out of respect.”

Lucifer wanted to believe his own words, wanted to think that the siblings he had raised would have been mindful of the peaceful places that The Father had created for all of them. But the faint shouts that he could hear in the distance were quickly starting to prove otherwise.

And it was clear that he wasn’t the only one that heard it, as Michael paused, drawing his blade silently. “Get Samuel to safety. I’ll take care of this.” he whispered, and Lucifer’s heart clenched with worry. They were close to the infirmary, where dozens of injured Angels were trying to recover. If the battle reached the injured….

There would be no hope for them. No matter what side they were on.

Holding Samuel tightly, he quickly began walking. “Alright Kiddo, time to be brave for your Lu.”

  


* * *

  


Gabriel felt like shit.

Not only did he accidentally wake up Samuel when he had clearly not had enough sleep the night before, but then he was lectured by Raphael for an hour over it, and to top it all off, he had no idea where his older brothers had wandered off to.

And to add icing to the cake, they had taken Samuel with them.

That was about when the panic _ really _ started to set in.

As much as it hurt him, hurt all of them, to admit, Heaven was no longer the safe home that it had once been. And though it wasn’t easily seen, the effects of the Civil war were still hanging over them all. There were dozens of casualties, hundreds of injured, and those were only the ones that were known. It was far too likely that there were even more that he didn’t know about, that no one had found, and that reality was too much to think about.

But what he did know proved that there was still parts of the rebellion in Heaven. They may have been in the shadows, or even hidden in plain sight, but they were still there, and the return of all of the Archangels would be more than enough reason to cause another wave of rebellion. Especially if there were still Angels that held contempt for Samuel.

Which led him to where he was currently; trying to find his brothers, and keep them safe from the fighting.

Except, there was a slight problem in his plan.

He had no idea where they were.

And with the rebellion still very much alive, any of them could be in danger, even as he was trying to find them.

  


* * *

  


Sam was sleepy, and wanted to cuddle with his Mi and Lu, and to stay with them forever.

But now his Lu was taking him away from his Mi, and he didn’t know why, or when he would see his Mi again. He just wanted to sleep, and be with his Mi and his Lu, but now he couldn’t and he was crying again.

His Lu took him to the heal place, where he had been left alone, and he wanted out.

He wanted his Mi, and his hippo. He wanted to be somewhere quiet, and not have anyone leave him again.

But everyone was shouting now, and his ears were hurting, and it felt like someone was _ pulling at him and _-

Silence.

He was alone now, somewhere he didn’t recognize, and he didn’t know where his Mi or his Lu or his Gab or his Rafa were, or where his hippo was, or anything.

Carefully, he opened his eyes, but saw nothing but darkness. When he tried to reach out for his Lu, he couldn’t feel him, or anything. Just the walls of wherever he was.

Standing slowly, he tried to walk along the wall, tracing his fingers across the stone that made it up, hoping for anything that would give him a way out.

But there was nothing.

He was stuck, and he couldn’t leave or call out to anyone.

And as he realized that he would never see his Mi or his Lu again, he fell on his bum and cried.

  


* * *

  


A loud cry rang out through Heaven, full of fear and pain. Raphael had heard it from where they were walking through the Garden of Eden, before rushing to the source as fast as they could.

They had no idea why Lucifer would be shouting in such a way, the heart of their vessel pounding as they ran as quickly as they could to reach their brother. They were joined by Gabriel as they went, and they both reached the infirmary within minutes.

Raphael slammed the door open, looking around quickly for their brother. To their relief, he didn’t seem to be harmed, but he was kneeling on the floor, sobbing hysterically as he clutched Sam’s stuffed toy close. Michael sat in front of him, wrapping his wings around Lucifer in an attempt to comfort him.

It took a moment to find what was wrong with the picture, beyond Lucifer’s sobs, but then they saw it. Rather, they saw what wasn’t there.

“Lucifer,” they whispered, kneeling to the side of their brother. “Where is Samuel?”

His cries increased, before he began to gasp out words between his sobs. “Someone took him! He,” Lucifer paused, and Raphael watched in horror as their brother tried his hardest to speak. “He was summoned, right out of my arms, and I couldn’t stop it!”

There were sounds of shock and terror from Gabriel, and Raphael felt like their world was falling apart around them. They tried to reach for Samuel’s Grace, to gain any idea of where the child they had taken in could be, but there was nothing. There was no sign of the boy’s Grace anywhere within Heaven, upon Earth, or anywhere else that anyone could summon him to.

And that’s when Raphael’s being began to be filled with horror.

They were all in Heaven. The one place in existence that was supposed to be safer than any other, for humans and Angels alike. They hadn’t even known that Samuel would be able to be summoned from _ anywhere _, let alone from Heaven itself. And now, the youngest Fledgling, the first to be created in thousands of years, was missing.

And there was no way of knowing where he was, or who took him.

  


* * *

  


After an eternity, Amara was finally free. Her brother had come for her, releasing her from the prison that she had been banished to, and now she could explore the vast world that He had created. It was beautiful to behold, with all of the small, seemingly insignificant pieces falling into place to aid the greater whole, and for once, she understood why He longed to create so many things.

But beyond all the beauty, beyond all the greatness, there was something strange in the world. A mysterious area in the center of the geography, where there was a near complete void in existence. She knew that warding to hide areas were available to humans, and were often used in areas where magic and supposed ‘monsters’ tended to flock to. But why would anyone, or anything, need any spells or warding so strong that she, one of the strongest beings in all existence, was having difficulty feeling past it?

She needed to know.

And so she willed herself to the area wherein the warded location lay, walking towards the void in reality. It was a strange place, an abandoned structure in the center of a lush forest, which under any other circumstance would have seemed to be an interesting and peaceful area. But there was something there, barely visible from a gap within the walls of the structure, that caused a wave of concern to wash over her. The flickering of a fire, seeming to make a ring around something large.

Within an instant, she was standing before the ring of fire, staring at the scene before her. Not only was there a ring of blessed fire, but it was around a relatively small cube of metal, with various sigils and wards forged into the surface. She could sense that there was something within the cube, something small, yet powerful, but the wards were preventing her from being able to tell exactly what was held within. The fire however, gave a clue better than any of the sigils, as the blessed and holy properties of the oil that fed the flames could be used to hold an Angelic being hostage. But why would there be reason for a human to hold an Angel prisoner, when all Angels were supposed to have returned to Heaven in anticipation of her Brother’s return?

No matter what the reason, the fact that one of her Brother’s children was being held captive did not sit well within her. She would not allow them to suffer the fate that would surely befall them should they remain, and it would not be right to do nothing when she could free them. The time for imprisonment of any Angelic being was over.

And so, she acted, waving a hand to cause the flames to suffocate, before taking the few steps needed to be able to place her hand upon the cube, reaching out with her power to sense what had been trapped inside, even as she erased the sigils keeping them from escaping.

The moment her power broke through the cube, and she could feel what had been kept within, she froze. Rage filled her being, as the audacity of the humans became all too clear.

It was not an Angel within the cube, full grown and capable of withstanding the torture of isolation.

It was a Fledgling.

* * *

  
  


There was someone there with Sam. He could feel it. But how could someone be there, when he knew that there wasn’t anyone there before?

But he could still feel them, reaching out to him from the dark. He sniffled, trying to rub at his eyes and be able to see, but there was nothing but the dark that had been there for so long.

_ “Little one, you are safe now,” _ the someone said, confusing Sam. He was still in the dark, how could he be safe?

As if reading his mind, the someone was talking again. _ “I’ve broken many of the wards, though some have been set to alert your captor if broken. Can you try to fly to me, so I can take you home?” _

Home. He didn’t have a home. He never had a home. How could the someone take him somewhere that he’d never been? Unless the someone was talking about his Mi and his Lu. What if it was his Mi or his Lu, and he didn’t know it?

“Mi? Lu?”

There was silence for a moment, before the someone talked. _ “If you wish to go to this Mi and Lu, then I would be more than happy to take you to them. All I need you to do is fly to me, and we can go to them.” _

Something inside him broke, and he was crying again. He just wanted his Mi and his Lu and Gab and Rafa and his hippo, but he was stuck in the dark and the someone was still talking but the someone wasn’t the right someone, and he was just too sleepy and scared and couldn’t do anything but cry.

The someone made another noise, and before he knew what was happening, the dark exploded away and everything was too bright and too loud and someone was screaming and _ he didn’t know what to do and- _

“It’s alright darling, you’re safe now, I’m here.”

The someone was talking again, but now they were closer, and he could feel them grabbing him under his arms and pulling him away from the exploded dark, and pushing his head to somewhere that wasn’t bright but wasn’t dark.

“I’ve got you, you’re safe,” the someone was whispering, and petting at his hair, but he just pushed into the place they put his head, crying loudly. “I know darling, but we need to wait for just a moment, and then I can take you home.”

He didn’t want to wait, he wanted his Mi and his Lu! But as he tried to get away from the someone holding him, they made a soft sound before the hand petting his hair moved to pet his wings instead. “You’re fine, and we’re only waiting a moment, I promise. Just hold on for a moment, and we’ll be home before you know it.”

He couldn’t get away. He knew it now. He was stuck with the someone that exploded the dark, and there was nothing he could do. So he laid there, crying against the someone, and unable to get away even as there was a strange sound, and then there was another someone, nearby, and the someone that was holding him took a deep breath. “Why is it always my Brother’s favorites that seem to love causing pain and suffering upon those weaker than them?”

“You do not know what you are talking about.”

“Oh? So I was mistaken about this innocent being held hostage, as your elder brother was, though he had done nothing to deserve it? My apologies then.”

Sam didn’t understand. The other someone sounded familiar, like he should know them, but where did he know them from? And why did the first someone sound so mad? Did he do something bad?

“He has been forcefully possessed, and stolen from his family. I am here to remove the being that forced its way into him, and return him to where he belongs.”

There was a laugh from the first someone. “You know, that’s funny. Because I came here to do much the same, and return this child to the family that took him in, after he was mistreated and abused by the one that called him brother. But first, to deal with the one that stole him away.”

Another strange sound, and Sam was alone with the first someone again, but then _ another _ someone was there, but he knew this someone.

Peeking out from where he had been hiding from the too bright, he looked at the being standing in front of him and the someone, sniffling softly as he did. It was his Mi and his Lu’s daddy.

“Hey there, Sam. How would you like to go see your archangels now?”

* * *

  
  


All of Heaven had faded into silence, every Angel paying their respect towards the pain and sorrow of the Archangels. The fighting between the different factions had all ceased, with those involved returning to their nests, holding close the ones that mere moments before they had been trying to kill.

It was the most peaceful that Heaven had been for far too many years, and Chuck was ashamed that it had taken so long for any peace to come to them.

But now, with the soft breathing of Samuel, who was asleep against Amara’s shoulder, holding the strap of her dress as he dreamed, He couldn’t help but smile. Despite all the pain and suffering that had been needed, things were finally returning to how they should be within Heaven. And it was through the efforts of a young child, who had sacrificed his entire being for the sake of the rest of the universe.

“Take him, You know where he belongs.” Amara whispered, looking away from her Brother as she gently pulled Samuel away from her dress.

Chuck sighed, but took Samuel from his sister’s arms regardless. “Are you certain? The boys would love to see you, especially knowing that you have changed.”

Amara only nodded, leaning to softly kiss the top of Samuel’s head. “I am. The ones who stole Samuel away from where he belongs need to pay for what they did to this child.”

With a nod, Chuck began walking towards the area of Heaven that an eternity ago, His eldest children had claimed to be their own.

He could hear the soft whispers of the Host, knew that they would question why He had returned, why He had been away for so long, and why He hadn’t answered their calls sooner. But for the moment, he had no time to spare for the demands of those who could not understand. For he carried a far more valuable treasure than all of the riches of Earth, and more beloved than any heirloom.

“Listen to them, Samuel,” He whispered to the boy, knowing that he was sleeping sound enough that there was no risk of him waking up. “They do not understand you, or why we so love you. But they will learn.” Sam drooled a little in his sleep, but stirred not at all, so Chuck just smiled fondly at the child to which far too much had happened as he stepped into the nest to await the return of his children.

He could feel his children approaching, Michael and Gabriel helping to support their devastated siblings as they slowly walked closer. He sighed softly at the pain that had been forced upon both his elder children, as well as the young child in his arms. He hadn’t intended for Lucifer’s punishment to last as long as it had, but it had allowed both him and Michael to reconnect, as well as letting Samuel have an opportunity to rest and heal after everything that had been forced upon him. If it were His choice, He would have stepped in to keep things from getting anywhere near as bad as they had. But He had started a chain of events that He could not have stopped, and there was no way to disrupt the natural order of things once they had been set in motion, regardless of His own divinity.

But even so, He had been able to gently nudge things in the right direction, helping the children to find the path of most happiness for each of them.

He would have stood there for an eternity, His youngest child in His arms as he slept, but his Archangels were close, and they would need to hold Samuel to know for themselves that the boy was safe, and returned to them. And so, it was with a heavy heart, and a large amount of reluctance, that he gently pulled Samuel away from his shoulder, carefully laying the boy atop a small pile of pillows, covering him with a soft blanket. It would take His sons another few moments to arrive, and there was no use in leaving Samuel to be uncomfortable as he slept.

Feeling that His sons were directly outside the door to the nest, He backed away from the bedding that He had left Samuel on top of. And as the door slowly drifted open, He prepared himself for the coming confrontation.

“Don’t worry Lucifer, we’ll find Samuel-” Michael was talking, guiding his younger brother into the room, freezing as he saw the gently shifting pile of blankets that lay in the center of the nest. “No, it can’t be….”

But for as emotional as Michael was over the reappearance of the child he had given his all to restore, Lucifer was in shambles.

He stood in the doorway, his hands over his mouth, and tears in his eyes. “Sammy?” he was whispering, unable to understand what he was seeing. “But, how?”

Chuck watched as his eldest children slowly stumbled closer to the Fledgling that they had created, smiling softly, even as He faded from their nest.

They would need some time to come to terms with everything, and to understand that He had returned, and He would give them that time. He would let them rest and recover, and put the rest of His children in order in the meantime.

  


* * *

  


“Mi! Lu! Watch me!”

“We are, Darling! Go ahead!”

Raphael watched as Samuel released the trunk of the tree he had climbed into, now balanced only through his own power. He shook softly, and for a moment Raphael was worried that he would not be able to do what he wanted to, before the boy jumped.

He fell for no more than ten feet, before his wings expanded, pushing him up and away from the ground, the pure laughter of a Fledgling ringing through the area as he circled around the tree for several minutes, before gliding towards where Michael and Lucifer were standing, crashing into their arms as he laughed.

“I did it!”

They watched as their older brothers embraced the Fledgling that they had all taken in, smiling at the sight. They could feel their Father nearby, yet not approaching. And it only made sense, as this was the first time that He had come near them since the day that Samuel had been returned to them.

At first, they had been in a state of joy and shock. Samuel had been stolen from them, taken right out of Lucifer’s arms, and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, he had been returned, laying in the center of the nest that the Archangels had built eons before. They had all swarmed the boy, pulling him into their arms and wings, even as he complained about being awoken before realizing who he was with. Several hours of tears followed, before Samuel had fallen asleep once more, safe in Lucifer’s arms, and surrounded by the wings of all the Archangels.

For several days, they had all stayed within the nest, trying to reaffirm to themselves that Samuel was truly safe, and not just a dream that they had all shared as a result of their grief. But it was not only the Archangels that needed to be able to know for certain that Samuel was safe.

Whatever had happened, wherever he had been, it had terrified Samuel. If he had been clingy before, unwilling to stray too far from the Archangels, he had been completely incapable of handling any sort of separation in the wake of his disappearance. Merely having one of the Archangels at the other end of the nest from him had been too much, causing panic and tears until the moment that he was curled up, held both in their arms and their wings.

It had been very hard to convince both themselves, and the Fledgling that they had taken in that they were finally safe, and together, with nothing to tear them apart ever again.

And even then, it had only been possible through the strength of the Father, and the love of the two Archangels who had once waged war that Samuel’s eternal safety was guaranteed.

  


* * *

  


“Help me understand what made any of what you did upon this day a good idea.”

Amara ignored the bullets that pierced her form, the Angel Blade that followed, and with a thought, prevented anyone or anything beyond her Brother from interrupting them. Shaking her head, she stepped closer to the human, who slowly began backing away in terror. “You see, I’m having a difficult time understanding. You have the capability to summon any of the Archangels, and bind them to your will. But you instead chose their Fledgling. Do you wish to have someone under your control, that you can mold and shape to your will? A perfect soldier to follow your every command, the same as your father had created you to be?”

She then turned to face the Angel. “And you. Your Father is more disappointed in you than He has ever been in _ any _ of those who came before you, and will likely be more disappointed in you than any who come after.” She was disgusted with them both, and if it had been her decision, she would have destroyed them both the moment she knew who they were. But her Brother had decided to show mercy and not smite them, so she had to deal with what she could do to them.

Which included terrifying them, mild injury to their personage, and causing them to wish that they had never been created.

“The son of a bitch that stole my brother deserves everything that happens to him!”

The mortal was shouting, and Amara found herself laughing. “You honestly think your brother was stolen away from you? Like the Changling Children, or like a Fairy who collected upon an agreement that you forgot about?”

With a shake of her head, she continued. “The very fact that your brother is alive is a greater miracle than you will ever realize. Second only to the fact that you will not be killed for stealing a Fledgling from the arms of his Guardian.”

“Samuel is no Fledgling.” The Angel spoke, drawing Amara’s attention towards him instead.

She did not wish to discipline her Brother’s child, but if he continued to speak and act in such a manner towards her, she would. Starting with correcting his misinformed assumptions. “Samuel is just as much a Fledgling as you once were, regardless of his less than orthodox origins. Just as a pair of Angels can bond together and combine their Grace to create a Fledgling, so have Michael and Lucifer created a new being in combination with the shreds of Soul that were left by the time Samuel had reached the Cage.”

“Those bastards tortured Sam, and tore him apart! He said so!” The human was shouting again, but Amara did not answer his claims.

Instead, she turned to face the corner of the room, where her Brother was appearing from the shadows. To her amusement, the human and Angel stared at them both as she stepped forward to hug her Brother. “Save me from them, before I cast them both into the abyss.” she whispered, ignoring her Brother’s quiet laughter as he pulled away enough to look at the two fools who had dared to take Samuel away from his family.

“Don’t worry, I will take care of them. You just calm down, and we can both make certain that he’s calming down with my children.”

  


* * *

  


With a sigh, Raphael turned to face their Father, smiling softly.

“You know, you _ can _ say hello.”

But their Father shook His head. “If Samuel knew the punishment that his brother faces, he would not wish to see me. As it is, your brothers despise me enough.”

Raphael didn't know how to respond, instead choosing to look at Michael and Lucifer, who were tossing Samuel back and forth between them, Gabriel commentating as if it were a sporting event. Samuel, to his credit, was laughing loudly, little wings flapping to try and gain control after being tossed, even as he know that he would be grabbed safely.

There was still a question that beared upon Raphael's mind, and they turned to face their Father once more. “What was his punishment? You've never told us.”

The Father sighed, watching Samuel as he played. “I made certain that he would never again see the one thing he held most dear.”

  


* * *

  


He stared down the two before Him, ashamed and horrified by their actions, after everything that He had done to aid them in ending the fighting between His eldest children. He had gone so far as to raise Castiel from the dead, and promote him from an Angel to a Seraph.

And this is how they decided to thank Him for all he had done.

“To be honest, I'm not certain as to where I should even begin to explain how terribly you have wronged upon this day.”

He allowed the words to hang in the air, and even allowed the pair to attempt to defend themselves. But they were still adamant that they were in the right, as if their actions couldn't have been proven otherwise just by trying to talk things through with others.

Waving a hand, he silenced them both. “Enough. I tire of hearing the same excuses.” He stared them down, waiting for a moment before He shook his head, walking closer to them.

Facing Castiel first, He spoke.

“Of all my Angels, of all my children, you are the one who had disappointed me most. I gave you life. I gave you strength. I gave you a second chance, to help restore balance and peace among your siblings. But instead, you use it to cause more chaos and pain, bringing about war because you would not think to accept compromise. Is there anything you wish to say in defense against these actions?”

Castiel took a breath, before looking at his Father head on. “Everything that I have done has been for the sake of my family. Including Dean and Sam.”

He sighed, shaking His head. “If Dean is so important to you, then you shall remain with him. But your punishment is thus. You will not have any of the power you have so blatantly abused, until the time when I am satisfied that you have repented and learned your lesson.” Even as He spoke, the powers he had once given to Castiel returned to Him, leaving His child to stumble into the human that he had given up everything for.

He could hear Dean shouting at Him, cursing His name, and swearing vengeance, but he paid it no mind. Instead, he faced him with a stern look, bordering on a glare.

“As for you. You not only kidnapped and tortured a Fledgling, but it was your ignorance and lack of any willingness to see any other option than the first you created that caused you to commit horrible acts of pain and suffering upon your brother, who you claim to care for more than anything else in the world. These crimes are unforgivable, and yet I am not unmerciful. Your punishment is thus.” With another look towards the human, who was still staring at him with rage in his gaze, He made up his mind.

“From now, until such a time as he is grown, and capable of deciding for himself if he wishes to see you, you will never see Samuel again, save for within memories and dreams. You stole away the most precious thing in the world from a pair who had already suffered their sentence, though you had no right to even touch him. And so I take the same thing from you.”

  


* * *

  


Raphael was silent. They knew that there had been some larger punishment for Dean Winchester, but they had not quite expected something so harsh.

“Is that why he has never visited?” They asked quietly, despite already knowing the answer.

“Indeed.” The Father sighed, gesturing towards the Fledgling who was now running sleep gentle fingers through Michael's wings. “It will take many years for Samuel to grow enough to make that decision, and many more after that before any of you will allow him to see his brother alone. As it is, he would have no way to come here, as the only Angel who would be willing to bring him is now just as human as he is.”

“Besides, it’s already been two years.” Gabriel appeared from behind Raphael, arms crossed loosely as he walked closer to his Father. “Sam hasn’t once mentioned wanting to see his brother, or even asked where he is. I don’t even think he even remembers that he was human anymore.” The words were accusatory, and Raphael couldn’t help but look at their Father in question.

Was Gabriel honestly implying that their Father had erased Samuel’s memories of his previous life? But even as Raphael thought about it, they couldn’t help but see where Gabriel was coming from.

For so long, Sam’s whole world had been around Dean, around his family, and not once in the past two years (had it truly been that long already?) had he mentioned his brother in any way. It was entirely out of character for him, considering his past, and Raphael was starting to grow curious as to what had happened.

With a shake of his head, the Father spoke. “That was the action of my sister. She had seen how the betrayals by his brother had left their own marks upon Samuel, and so she caused the memories to dim, until a time when he is prepared to deal with them.” He paused for a moment, but smiled as he shook his head again. “Of course, she then left for a vacation to Mars to mess with the humans, so who knows when she’ll return.”

Gabriel and Raphael both nodded in mild confusion, both turning to face the Fledgling, who seemed to finally take notice of them.

Though he yawned, he raised his head from where it had been laying atop Michael’s shoulder, smiling brightly. “Hi Grandpa!” he shouted, wiggling out of Michael’s arms before running towards the Deity.

Despite any surprise there may have been, the Father knelt down to catch Samuel, lifting him into His arms with ease. “Hey there, Kiddo! I saw you flying earlier, you’ve gotten so big!”

“Yeah! I did it!”

As Samuel began telling the Father about his day, Raphael leaned against a nearby tree, smiling gently. They had never imagined that by sensing a new presence within The Cage, that they would be able to help to return peace and completion to their family. It had taken several years, but they were more than happy with the result. From having their older brothers back, to having a happy, healthy Fledgling within the realm of Heaven once more, things couldn’t have been any better.

All that Raphael hoped for was that Samuel’s childhood was an easy one. They still remembered Gabriel’s tantrums, and while they didn’t think that Samuel would be quite that… creative, they still had to hope.


End file.
